Four Teams That Should Seriously Consider Trading for the Baltimore Orioles' Manny Machado
Machado's ability to play either shortstop or third base allows him to fit in with many teams
If the Baltimore Orioles continue to dwell in the cellar of the American League, the calls for them to trade their star infielder Manny Machado will only get louder.
There were already some fans urging the team to make a trade last winter because they saw it as a good opportunity to still receive good assets in return for a player who will likely leave town once the 2018 season is over.
The Orioles resisted those calls then, but it's hard to imagine them continuing to ignore those if wins continue to remain elusive.
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For what it's worth, Machado did state recently that he would like to stay with the Orioles for the whole year, but he did also acknowledge that he has no control over what will happen in the coming months, The Baltimore Sun reported.
So, with a Machado trade seeming, at the very least, like a possibility, which teams should be interested in acquiring the power-hitting infielder?
Listed below are four teams who may look to add Machado as well as the reasons why they should be interested in doing that.
1. Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are not going to be contenders this year, and they may not be a winning team next year, too; so why should they be interested in adding Machado?
Well, they should be interested in trading for Machado only if the infielder is amenable to staying long-term because his presence won't mean much as a short-term upgrade.
As a long-term addition, though, Machado could lock down one of the spots on the left side of the infield and grow along with the members of the White Sox's young core.
At just 25-years-old, Machado still has plenty of good years remaining in his career, and other players trending up could surround him if he goes to the White Sox.
2. Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves have gotten off to a surprisingly good start this season, and they have the young players that will make it easy to remain competitive for a long time.
The Braves don't have a long-term answer for third base currently, so Machado could slide right in there and be the centerpiece of a young and promising lineup.
With Machado in the fold, the Braves may even be in position to contend for the World Series as early as this year.
3. Cleveland Indians
The sudden decline of second baseman Jason Kipnis and the continued struggles of center fielder Bradley Zimmer have led to holes springing in the Cleveland Indians' lineup.
The Indians are getting little offensive production from those two positions, and that's not ideal for a team with World Series aspirations.
That's where Machado can come in.
Currently, the Indians' depth chart lists Jose Ramirez as the starting third baseman, but he can easily move to second and hold down that position if the team can swing a trade for Machado,
The Indians would still have a hole in the lineup after that deal, but their offensive production is still likely to spike with Machado in the mix.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have been viewed as one of the World Series favorites heading into the 2018 season, but the way they've played thus far has them closer to last place than first place in their own division.
If the Dodgers want to avoid falling out of the playoff race altogether, they need to make a splash, and acquiring Machado certainly qualifies as that.
Trading for Machado now could also make it easier for the Dodgers to ink the infielder to a long-term deal once the offseason rolls around, so that's just another reason for why they should be interested in making a deal.
